Supermodel Secrets to Looking Great in a Bikini (That Have Nothing to Do With Exercise!)

Sure, supermodels are genetically gifted lucky ducks who get paid to take care of their bodies and eat right. But even they have secrets they rely on when they need an extra boost of confidence to look great in a bikini or lingerie—tips even we nonmodels can use when it’s time to hit the beach. Read on to find out some top models’ clever confidence tricks (and, no, Photoshop isn’t one of them).

Knowing she’ll be wearing very little at the big Victoria’s Secret runway show every year, Erin Heatherton has a special weapon of mass distraction—showstopping hair. “Leading up to the show, I use face masks and hair treatments, so I feel extra conditioned and soothed,” she has said. One of her reported favorites: Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask ($72, moroccanoil.com).

Supermodel Beauty Secret: Get Your Shine On

Candice Swanepoel recently shared that when she needs a boost for glow-y skin, she loves slathering on restorative Bio-Oil ($20, folica.com) for added smoothness and shine.

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Supermodel Beauty Secret: Skip the Salt

Chrissy Teigen told thatsfit.com that to stay in shape for the Sports Illustrated swimwear edition, she puts down the salt shaker. “If I eat too many salty foods at night, I look bloated the next morning.” Her strategy: “I follow a two-day rule. If I have a shoot on a Friday, then I’ll slip on my diet on a Wednesday. That way, I’ll go to bed feeling light on Thursday—when I’ll watch what I eat—and won’t look puffy on Friday.”

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Supermodel Beauty Secret: Hide Flaws With Body Makeup

Body makeup is a staple at Miami Swim Fashion Week for hiding bruises, veins, and other little imperfections (yep, bikini models have them too). One that gets spotted over and over: MAC Face and Body Makeup, ($27, nordstrom.com).

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Supermodel Beauty Secret: Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate

When we asked Brooklyn Decker to spill her smooth-skin strategy, she said, “I’m a firm believer in exfoliating before shaving. I try to do it at least once a week by using a loofah and a body wash.”

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Supermodel Beauty Secret: Think “I’m Pretty”

Start chanting that “I’m a hot fox” mantra now. It works for Miranda Kerr, who says being sexy is about being “comfortable and relaxed in your own skin.”

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Supermodel Beauty Secret: Head to the Maternity Section

Tyra Banks has given us a lot of good advice, but in this video back in 2011, she laid down what might be the most genius tip that has ever been given about swimsuit shopping: If your stomach is your trouble spot, get a swimsuit in the maternity section. The suits have plenty of ruching and patterns designed to hide a belly—and they’re made for all stages of pregnancy (including “just barely”), so you’re sure to find one that fits.